1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of tying or knotting balloons in general, and in particular, to a manually operable mechanical device which facilitates tying balloons, and which enables a plurality of balloons to be sequentially and automatically tied on a string, as well as to a method for practicing the invention.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is known to all those who have had to inflate and tie a large number of balloons for a birthday party, political rally or other such gathering, the resilient nature of the material from which the balloons are constructed is such that one's fingertips are constantly pinched and strained. In many instances, adults find that their fingers are too large to manipulate the necks of smaller balloons.
In order to alleviate this problem, those skilled in the art have developed a number of mechanical aids or devices about which the neck of a balloon can be twisted and turned after inflation, avoiding the need to actually tie a knot in the neck of the balloon. These devices rely upon resiliently pulling the necks of the balloons over abrupt edges in order to frictionally seal them. Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,680,318--Callahan, 2,396,906--Windson, 2,882-645--Stivers, 2,931,133--Datsun, 3,267,604--Goldsmith, 3,780,419--Allison, et al and 3,783,551--Allison, et al. A balloon dispensing and filling machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,974--Kuykendall.
This invention solves the problem of how to easily tie balloons and the like, by providing a method and apparatus which assists in actually tying a knot in the neck of the balloon with balloon material. This provides a superior seal, which cannot be easily twisted or undone. Moreover, as the same instrument can be utilized for tying as many balloons as is necessary, the cost of such a device is negligible as compared to providing specially machined or molded disks or other parts, one of which must be provided for each and every balloon.
Another problem facing those skilled in the art is the time needed to tie a number of balloons together, for instance on a single string. It is now necessary to tie the balloons separately, and then tie each one to the string, or to use a knot in the string to hold and seal each balloon. The latter method does not provide secure sealing, and in both instances, much time can be wasted. Some of the above cited references, for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,551--Allison et al, show that a string can be attached, but only by use of the same disk used to seal the balloon. This invention provides a means for automatically tying balloons to a continuous string, without having to make any additional knots or ties.
With reference the presently preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-13, those skilled in the art will not fail to appreciate that the apparatus 10 is not unlike a spring-loaded clothespin. It must be remembered, however, that those skilled in the art of manufacturing clothespins would never have any reason to suspect that it would be advantageous to use a clothespin in its basic form to the balloon or supply a longitudinal bore 34 such as that disclosed in FIG. 1, which would enable balloons to be knotted and automatically tied onto a string. Moreover, those skilled in the art of inflating and tying balloons would have no reason to suspect that a clothespin could be used in its basic form for the purpose of tying balloons, or in a revised form, for tying balloons onto a string.